Lifesaving
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Lifesaving is the act involving rescue, resuscitation and first aid. It often refers to water safety and aquatic rescue; however, it could include ice rescue, flood and river rescue, swimming pool rescue and other emergency medical services. Lifesaving also refers to sport where lifesavers compete based on skills, technique, speed and teamwork. Lifesaving activities specialized in oceanic environment is called surf lifesaving or coastal lifesaving.[1]
Those who participate in lifesaving activities as a volunteer are called lifesavers, and those who are employed to professionally perform lifesaving activities are called lifeguards.
History
Origins
In the early ninetieth century, most seamen did not swim; swimming was not a considered a recreational sport. Working aloft or trimming sails was always dangerous as just one single misjudged step could send a man crashing to the deck or over the side. Normally the odds of rescue were slim to none at all. Typically sailing vessels could not change sails or lower a boat quickly nor did their crews practice rescue maneuvers. Additionally a drowning man in anything more than a flat calm was and hard to spot. [2]
On Wednesday 12 September 1804, the log of HMS Victory, recorded a unique rescue at sea, "Moderate Breezes and hazy, shifted the main sails, at 9 tacked at 9.55 James Archibald, Seaman fell overboard, downed Cutter and got him safe in, being saved by Mr. Edward Flin masters mate, jumping overboard after him."[3][4]Edward Flin's action was witnessed by Lord Horatio Nelson, who was so impressed by Flin's heroic action, that he promoted him on the spot to Lieutenant in HMS Bittern.[5][6][7]
On 4 October 1843 a similar mishap was recorded in a log entry of the frigate
The first life saving organization, the
However, on appealing to the more philanthropic members of London society, the plans were adopted and, with the help of two members of Parliament (Robert Wilson and George Hibbert), the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was founded in 1824.
One of the Institution's first rescues was of the packet St George, which had foundered on
Spread
Similar services were established in other countries, in Belgium (1838), Denmark (1848), United States (1848), Sweden (1856), France (1865), Germany (1885), Turkey (1868), Russia (1872), Italy (1879) and Spain (1880). In 1891 the
The first international lifesaving conference was held in
In 1971 Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States founded another international organization called World Life Saving (WLS). FIS and WLS merged into a new organisation, International Life Saving Federation (ILS) in 1993 with its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium.
International Life Saving Federation
The International Life Saving Federation (ILS) was established on 27 March 1910 in Paris, France. The ILS is primarily known as the world authority and head in the global effort to "prevent drowning and regroups national life saving organisations/federations aiming at improving water safety, water rescue, lifesaving and lifeguarding and lifesaving sport[13]".
Activities
Surf lifesaving developed in Australia and is often simply called "lifesaving". It focuses on drowning prevention and rescue in a coastal setting. General lifesaving does not limit its activities to beaches - its aim is to promote water safety around ponds, lakes, rivers, pools, in the home, at school and in any other applicable environments.
Lifesavers are volunteers and usually stationed at a club house. They provide training for lifesaver/lifeguard qualifications as well as educating the general public.
As a sport
Lifesaving has become a growing sport in many countries.[15] The sport can be contested in swimming pools or on beaches in the surf, each being a separate discipline of the sport.
Lifesaving is one of the official sports of
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, otherwise known as CPR is the most common form of life saving. CPR can be easily understood through this simplified table.[17]
ADULT and older CHILD | CHILD 1 to 8 yrs | BABY up to 1 yr | |
---|---|---|---|
CPR ratios for 1 person | 30 compressions to 2 breaths | 30 compressions to 2 breaths | 30 compressions to 2 puffs |
CPR ratios for 2 persons | 30 compressions to 2 breaths | 30 compressions to 2 breaths | 30 compressions to 2 puffs |
Chest pressure | 2 hands | 1-2 hands | 2 fingers |
CPR compression rate | Approximately 100 per minute | Approximately 100 per minute | Approximately 100 per minute |
Compression depth | One-third of a chest depth | One-third of a chest depth | One-third of a chest depth |
Head tilt | Maximum | Minimum | None |
Rescue breaths | 2 full breaths | 2 small breaths | 2 puffs |
Breathing rate | 1 breath in 1 second | 1 small breath in 1 second | 1 puff in 1 second |
DRSABCD
All collapsed victims should be carefully assessed to decide what emergency care is needed. This method of assessment is known as DRSABCD, this method is explained in the following table.[18]
D | Check for Dangers |
---|---|
R | Check Response |
S | Send for help |
A | Clear and open the Airway |
B | Check for normal Breathing |
C | Give 30 chest Compressions at 100 per minute, followed by 2 rescue breaths |
D | Defibrillate - attach AED as soon as available. Follow the prompts. |
See also
- Lifeguard
- DLRG
- Commonwealth Pool Lifesaving Championships
- Rashtriya Life Saving Society (India)
- Royal Life Saving Society Australia
- Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth
- Royal Life Saving Society of Canada
- Surf lifesaving
- Surf ski
- United States Lifesaving Association
- United States Life-Saving Service
- Adolph Kiefer
References
- ^ "About Lifesaving". Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ Sharp, John G.M., Americans on HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct 1805 http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/shipyard/sharptoc/trafalgar.html
- ^ ADM51/4514/1, HMS Victory, 12 Sept. 1804,
- ^ Goodwin, Peter, Nelson's Ships A History of the Vessels in Which He Served 1771 -1805,(Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pa. 2002),p.254.
- ^ The Dispatches and Letter of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 6, May 1804 – to July 1805, Editor, Nicholas Harris Nicolas,(Henry Colburn, London, 1846), pp. 198-199.
- ^ Knight, Rodger, The Pursuit of Victory The Life and Achievements of Horatio Nelson,(Basic Books, New York,2005),p.475.
- ^ Sugden, John, Nelson The Sword of Albion (Henry Holt, New York,2012), p.659
- ^ Sharp, John G.M., The Ship Log of the frigate USS United States 1843 -1844 and Herman Melville Ordinary Seaman,p.26, http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/shipyard/usunitedstates-hmelville
- ^ Melville Herman, White Jacket or the World in a Man -of -War,chapter 17 http://www.online-literature.com/melville/white-jacket/17/
- ISBN 978-0-19-920568-4. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
- ^ "A Legacy: The United States Life-Saving Service" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-11-27.
- ^ "History of the ILS".
- ^ "ILS History".
- ^ "Facts & Figures - Royal Life Saving". www.royallifesaving.com.au. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
- ^ "About Lifesaving". Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ "Lifesaver Hindi". Lifesaver Hindi. Retrieved 2019-04-16.
- ISBN 978-1921366536.
- ISBN 978-1921366536.